Surrendering to the Dragon (Stonefire Dragons 5)

With a sigh, Nikki turned to lay on her back and met his gaze. “If my dragon is correct, it’s done.”

He blinked a second before he smiled slowly. “You’re pregnant.”

She looked away. “Yes. You can go.”

He blinked in confusion. With a growl, he moved to cover her body with his. “Look at me, Nikola Gray, and explain yourself.”

Nikki kept her gaze off to the side. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be. You’re tired. I’m tired and my dragon is content. I appreciate what you did, but it’s time to go back to our separate lives.”

“What the fuck, Nikki? That’s it? Use me and toss me aside?”

She finally met his gaze and frowned. “What else do you want from me, Rafe? We both know you’re not the wedding bells and changing baby nappies type. The longer we put off saying good-bye, the harder it’ll be.”

Gripping her chin with his fingers, he leaned down his face to hers. “If you think I’m the type of bastard who will just knock up a woman and leave, you’re out of your bloody mind. It may be illegal for me to live here, but we’ll figure something out. I’ll be damned if I let my daughter grow up without a father.”

Surprise flashed in Nikki’s eyes, but it vanished in the next second. “Are you mad?” She pushed against his chest. “Besides, it’s not your choice to make.”

“Oh, it bloody well is. If I have to tie you up and keep you prisoner until the birth, so help me, I will.”

“Right, because the army won’t come looking for you. And what about Bram? Not to mention, oh, I don’t know, asking me what I want?”

“Okay, so tell me, Nikki Gray. What do you want?”

She searched his eyes before blowing out a breath. “I don’t know.”

As Rafe scrambled for the best way to reply to her answer, someone pounded on the door. He muttered, “What the fuck? Why would people think it’s okay to knock if we’re having sex in here?”

“Because we aren’t. And I already texted Bram that we’re done. He could’ve told anyone.”

The pounding increased before an unknown male voice boomed, “Open up, Nikola Gray. You have some explaining to do.”

He looked back to Nikki’s pale face and asked, “Who the hell is that?”

Nikki swallowed loudly. “It’s my father.”

~~~

Nikki froze at her dad’s voice. When she’d texted Bram about the frenzy being completed, she hadn’t expected her clan leader to tell her father so soon.

To say Hector Gray was protective of his only child would be an understatement.

Her dad’s voice boomed again. “This is your last warning, Nikki. I want to meet this male who’s to be the father of my first grandchild. He

had better be worthy.”

Rafe muttered, “Bloody fantastic. Yet another growly, protective dragonman.”

Nikki lightly hit his arm. “Stop it. He might be able to hear you.”

Rafe never broke his gaze. “Well, then let’s get it over with. If nothing else, your dad might be able to talk some sense into you. Because if you think I’m going to fuck you and leave, you’re daft. The sooner you realize it, the better.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but the door swung inward and banged against the wall. The tall, mostly gray-haired figure of her dad stood in the doorway. Hector narrowed his eyes and pointed at Rafe. “You, get off my daughter. You’ve done enough.”

Rafe sat up slowly, signaling to Hector he didn’t perceive the dragonman a threat. “If you’re concerned about your daughter, then you’d give her a chance to shower, dress, and eat before talking with you.”

Fantastic. At this rate, Rafe would get himself killed.

Hector narrowed his blue eyes. “Don’t tell me how to raise my daughter.”